Two Poems on the last Two Years of COVID

It’s for your Safety

When the moon starts to shine
They’ll tell the small shop owners to close up
and we won’t speak out
because we’ll be fast asleep

Then the dawn will rise
And they’ll come for the people who want to
see their friends and family

And we won’t speak out
Because we’ll believe
It’s all for our security

Then a week will pass
And they’ll come for the people with a different opinion
And we won’t speak out
Out of fear of breaking conformity

Then a month will pass
And they’ll come for the people who want to protest in unity
And we won’t speak out
It won’t matter if it’s out of the ordinary

Then a few months will pass
And they’ll close the hospitality industry
And we won’t speak out
It’s all for our safety

Then half a year will pass
And they’ll lockdown the country

There’ll be fewer jobs and far less of an economy
And we won’t speak out

Here’s your vaccine
And your state support cheque

It’s for your liberty.

Even if

Even if the test has a false-positive rate of over 30%
It’s just a lie, we’ll keep testing
Keep watching the numbers rise
And follow the government advice

Even if the death rate for COVID-19 is less than 1%
Hospital admissions are at all time-low
It’s just a lie, stay alert
And keep your head down-low

Even if suicide rates are climbing to an all-time high
It’s just a lie, let’s keep to ourselves
Follow the rules
And forget ourselves

Even if we’re starving for touch
Don’t hug
Stay distant

Anything else
Will make you a thug

Even if living in fear
compromises our immune systems
It doesn’t matter
lock yourself up

And hide from the sun.

Were the lockdowns all worth it? Or are we still dragging and dealing with the pain, isolation, and confusion of the last two years?